Assessment of disease activity and progression in Takayasu's arteritis.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a rare, chronic panarteritis of the aorta and its major branches presenting commonly in young ages. Physical examination findings, presence of constitutional features, elevated acute-phase reactants, and new vessel involvement in imaging are major features of an active disease. However, assessment of disease activity and damage in TA is problematic given the chronic, indolent disease course and lack of specific...